Economist Podcasts Continental divides: covid-19 strains the EU
May 15, 2020
Duncan Robinson, the Brussels bureau chief for The Economist, and Richard Enzer, a correspondent based in Mexico City, delve into the EU's struggles with COVID-19, emphasizing the growing economic divides among member states. They raise critical questions about the EU's purpose amid the pandemic. Meanwhile, Enzer discusses the authoritarian shift in El Salvador under President Nayib Bukele, contrasting it with cultural changes in Indonesia, where people are adapting health practices through sun exposure.
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EU's Origin
- The EU originated from a 1950 plan by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman.
- It aimed to merge coal and steel production of West Germany and France, preventing future wars.
EU Expansion and Challenges
- The EU expanded from six initial members to 28, becoming the world's largest market.
- Its success in ensuring peace is remarkable, but its incomplete nature poses challenges.
Pandemic's Impact on Single Market
- The pandemic exposed the EU's single market weakness.
- Germany's massive aid to its businesses, unaffordable for poorer nations like Spain and Italy, creates unfair competition.